Variable-speed clutch



y 1945- B. w. KING 2,374,866

VARIABLE SPEED CLUTCH Filed Jan. 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR Eerie/Z y 1, 1945. B. w. KING 2,374,866

VARIABLE SPEED CLUTCH Filed Jan. so, 1942 2 Sheets$heet 2 2M l f/l Z/A A; 46' I 2/ 3 A J34 J6 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 1, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE W assessevanisnm-srasn ctu'ron Bertell W. King, Brooklyn, N. Y. I Application llanuary 30,1942, Serial No. 428,805 m (01. 192-50) This invention relates to improvements in variable speed clutches, and its object is to-provide a simple clutch of thetype in which a driving shaft i coupled to. a driven shaft through the interposition of a body of oil or other liquid and disconnected by a controlled circulation of the liquid. This principle has been utilized by others by the use of complicated mechanisms of doubtful effectiveness. The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of mechanisms which utilize the aforesaid principle and to provide an inexpensive and easily controlled device of great efliciency and to overcome the objectionable features of such mechanisms as have been available heretofore.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following speciflcation in which I will de-- scribe a preferred embodiment ofgmy invention,

the novel features of which will be set forth inpivotally connected near their ends with both .the pistons and the collar l2. It is obvious that if the casing is stationary, rotation of shaft III will cause the pistons i3, l8, l1 and "to reciprocate in their respective cylinders.

As may be seen from Fig. 2, the casing 20 is rotatably mounted on a bushing on the drive shaft Ill. Back of each cylinder a passage is formed in the casing 20, such as those shown at 2 IA, 22A, 23Aand 24A. These passages open into the outer ends of the respective cylinders through ports 2IB, 22B, 23B and 24Bv which are closed at their ends by heads 2IC, 22C, 23C and 24C which also close the outer ends of the cylinders.

shown in Fig. 2, the view being taken in the direction indicated by the arrow 3 in the latter Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation of the control valve shown in Fig. 2, the section being taken on the line 4-4 of the latter figure; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section and on a larger scale of a control valve of modified construction.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale. of a part of the control valve shown in Fig. 2. l0 designates a shaft'having an eccentric crank pin H on one of its ends. I! is a collar pivotally mounted on the crank pm. One end of a connecting rod I 3 is rigidly afllxed to the collar l2, as at l4, with its other end pivotally connected with a piston IS in a cylinder 2|. The cylinder 2| isformed in a casing 2| which will be described presently, and extends at right angles from the axis of shaft II). By this arrangement any movement of the piston I 5 will change the angular position of the collar [2 on the crank pin I I. l 6, l1 and I8 are similar pistons in other radially disposed cylinders 22, 23 and 24 formed in the casing 20, angularly spaced from cylinder 2| and from each other. These pistons are connected with the collar I2 by connecting rods such as I9,

30 designates a cylindrical valve block in axial alinement with shaft Ill aflixed to the casing 20 by bolts 3|. 32 is a cylindrical valve chamber within which is a longitudinally movable piston valve 33 having intermediate it ends a transverse passage 34 interconnecting the passages 36 and 38 and another transverse passage 34A interconnecting the passages which are alined with the cylinder passages 22A and 24A. One end of this valve chamber is closed by a cap 35. The block 30 is provided with passages, such as 36, 38, which register with the cylinder communicating passages 2IA, 22A, 23A and 24A.

From the other end of valve 33 a stem 40 extends into a hollow opening 4|. in a cylindrical extension 39 of the block 30. 42 is a pin which extends transversely from the valve stem 40 through slots 43 in the extension 39 into a grooved collar 44 slidably mounted on the block extension 39. 45 is a lever aflixed to a rock shaft 46, the

axis of which is normal to the axis of shaft Ill filled with oil or other suitable liquid. The outward movement of piston I5 will force oil out of its cylinder ill and as piston I! is at that time moving in the opposite direction it will draw oil into its cylinder 23. When valve 33 is in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, the outer ends of cylinders l5 and I! are interconnected by passages MA, 34, 38 and 23A so that oil may circulate freely between them. Similarly, the outer ends of cylinders 22 and 24 are interconnected by passages 23A, 34A and 24A. An annular groove 34C in the valve also connects all of the cylinders.

When valve 88 is moved to'the right it will close the connections between passages 88, 38 and similar passages between cylinder passages 22A and 24A and the oil circulation will be arrested. This in turn will arrest the movement of the pistons 2|, 22, 23 and 24 and the rotation of drive shaft II) will be imparted to the casing 20 and the block 30 through crank pin ll, collar l2 and the connecting rods, such as l3 and l9.v

The casing 20 and block 30 thus become a driven member and rotate in unison with drive shaft l0.

Retardation of the oil circulation may be effected to different degrees by moving valve 33 to intermediate positions.- This will result in the casing and block being driven at a lower speed than that of shaft l and the'amount of this difference in speed can be controlled to a great nicety.

l8 and 49 are longitudinal passages through the valve 33 and are fitted with check valves 49A to permit any accumulation of oil at the ends of the valve chamber 32 to be forced by the movement of the valve into the central passages of the valve and thus prevent it from interfering with the movement of the valve. 7

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the valve 33A is provided with an annular groove 34B of irregular cross-sectional area. With the valve in its extreme leithand position, as shown, all of the cylinders are connected together by a valve passage of maximum capacity which may be diminished gradually by moving the valve to the right. When this valve is moved to its extreme right hand position it will stop the oil circulation entirely.

This clutch may beused for the transmission 2,s74,see

of power in almost innumerable mechanical installations such; for example, as for driving machine tools, hoists, pumps, propellor shafts oi. vessels, airplanes or vehicles, in fact in almost any organization where a variable speed or a combination of a variable speed and a clutch is desired or necessary. I I e Structural variations may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention and I intend no limitations other than those imposed by the appended claim.

'WhatIclaim is:

A fluid clutch comprising a drive shaft, an eccentric axle thereon, a collar pivotally mounted on said axle, a casing rotably supported on the drive shaft, said casing forming a pair of oppositely disposed cylinders radially disposed in relation to the axis of the drive shaft, a' piston in each cylinder, a rod rigidly aflixed to said collar with its outer end pivotally connected with the piston in one of said cylinders, a piston rod pivotally connected with the collar and with the piston in the other cylinder, a valve block aflixed to said casing constructed to form a longitudinally disposed chamber in axial alinement with the drive shaft, passages formed in the casing interconnecting the outer ends of the radially disposed cylinders with said chamber, a 10ngitudinally movable valve in the chamber for controlling said passages, a transverse passage through said valve, and check controlled longitudinal passages in the valve interconnecting the ends of the chamber with the transverse passage in the valve.,

BERTELL W. KING. 

